Kuna - Settlements

Today most Kuna villages are located in four distinct areas. Most are
situated in the comarca of San Blas. Three others are near the
headwaters of the Río Bayano, and seven are located along the
Río Chucunaque near a hydroelectric dam; all ten are in the
Darién jungle. A few small communities can be found in Colombia.
Kuna also live in Panama City and Colón and a few live abroad.

In San Blas, island communities are crowded; there is scant space
between the houses, which are constructed of locally produced materials.
The Kuna live in large matrilocal households composed of senior couples,
their married daughters, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and
in-married, subordinate sons-in-law. Households usually span three or
four generations. Generally, the compound includes a kitchen and one or
more sleeping houses. Most Kuna sleep in hammocks, which are strung from
the supporting beams of the house. Clothes are draped over bamboo poles
suspended from the rafters or are stored in wooden or cardboard boxes.
Most houses have bamboo walls and thatched roofs, but some Kuna have
built two-story cement houses with corrugated-metal roofs. These
structures often house a store, in addition to providing living space.